puzzle

 ACROSS

  1 Fabled 51-Down loser

  5 Up and about

 10 Skipped town

 14 Greek H's

 15 Pet parrots' places

 16 Quattro automaker

 17 Cleaning cloths

 18 Inch along

 19 Craving

 20 Cycle starter?

 21 NBA MVP who plays for Houston?

 23 Clever comebacks

 25 Before, to a bard

 26 Word before "standard" or "star"

 27 <

 32 Agreed (with)

 34 Journalist's slant

 35 Kitchen gadget brand

 36 Heavy burden

 37 Sauce NYT Cooking described as "a mouthful of bright summer"

 38 Work with needles

 39 Costa del ___

 40 Tennis do-overs

 41 Birds in a V

 42 Adds some spice to

 45 Band bookings

 46 Yogi's pad

 47 Elite athlete

 50 NBA rookie who plays for Charlotte?

 55 ___-ray Disc

 56 Volcanic output

 57 Alpha's opposite

 58 Twosomes

 59 Excellent pair in poker

 60 Domain

 61 Skin breakout

 62 Disavow

 63 Peruvian peaks

 64 Barely makes do, with "out"

DOWN

  1 Avis competitor

  2 "Pong" company

  3 NBA hothead who plays for Chicago?

  4 Snaky curve

  5 Harmony

  6 City districts

  7 James who wrote "A Death in the Family"

  8 Ship stabilizer

  9 Shot with a kick?

 10 Sink fixture

 11 Skulk

 12 Side of a jigsaw puzzle

 13 Count calories

 21 Blend together

 22 Sterile workplaces, briefly

 24 Takes one's turn

 27 Children mail them to Santa

 28 Has a sandwich

 29 NBA "goes by the rules" hoopster who plays for Milwaukee?

 30 Line of rotation

 31 Musical staff symbol

 32 Muralist Orozco

 33 Privy to

 34 "It's ___ fun"

 37 Overabundance

 38 Beer barrels

 41 Expensively finished

 43 "Whatever you want"

 44 Moving day vehicle

 45 Sparkles

 47 < or >

 48 All by yourself

 49 Tricks

 50 Inapt rhyme of "sad"

 51 Speed contest

 52 Neck and neck

 53 Warning sign

 54 Enjoy a mystery

 58 Actor Daniel ___ Kim

solution